1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to battery chargers, and more specifically to a battery charger with an improved casing for protecting its electronic circuitry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To charge a battery, the battery charger is typically placed within a few feet of the battery and one connection is made to the battery and a second connection is made to an alternating current (AC) power source. The battery charger is left connected for several hours to several weeks or months depending on the application. If the battery charger is left unattended for a significant amount of time, it is imperative the battery charger is protected from being damaged from impacts, corrosion and moisture intrusion. A damaged battery charger may result in a fire or cause substantial damages from its malfunction. There is a need for a battery charger that can be left unattended for long periods of time without fear that the battery charger will be damaged.
Many battery chargers exist with a thin metal casing containing the electrical circuitry. Should these types of battery chargers accidentally be dropped or otherwise sustain impact, the likelihood of damage to the internal circuitry is great. Other prior art battery chargers are encased in plastic and the electrical circuitry similarly can be damaged by an impact. There is a need for a battery charger casing that has improved impact protection characteristics.
Typically, when the battery charger is used to replenish a vehicle battery, the charger is placed in a garage. However, even a battery charger used in a garage is susceptible to moisture intrusion. Similarly, when a battery charger used to charge a watercraft battery, there is a high probability of moisture coming into contact with the battery charger. This can lead to disastrous results as the battery of a watercraft may operate the bilge pump. Accordingly, if the battery charge is insufficient and the electric bilge pump does not operate, in an extreme situation this may lead to the watercraft sinking. Therefore, it is imperative that the battery charger is not susceptible to corrosion and moisture intrusion so that a battery remains charged to protect from property loss. There is a need to provide a battery charger that is water resistant and able to withstand a hostile environment.
Batteries are available in different voltages depending on the purpose of the battery and requirements of the vehicle or watercraft. Accordingly, battery chargers are available in different power input and output. In many countries, the AC voltage is 110 V, however in some countries the AC voltage is higher and have different power source connections. This results in a different battery charger being required for each different power source. In prior art chargers, the electrical connections are permanently hard wired into the internal circuitry of the battery charger. It is difficult to determine quickly whether a battery charger is wired for 110 V or some other voltage, as battery charger casings are often indistinguishable. A battery charger casing that quickly identifies the battery charger's power source requirements and output is needed.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a battery charger casing with increased protection of the electrical circuitry and unique identification characteristics that overcomes the limitations of prior art battery charger casings and provides an improvement that is a significant contribution to the advancement of the battery charger casing art.
However, in view of the prior art at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.